RTÉ reports that Apple is making plans to add 500 more jobs at its European headquarters in Cork, Ireland, bringing the total headcount at the site to 3,300 as the company works to continue expansion of its business in the region.

Quote:

The company plans to construct a three-storey office block next to its existing plant in the city to cater for the expansion of its business in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa.

Apple has been in Cork for 30 years and currently employs 2,800 people in the city.

Apple expects to add the new jobs over the next 18 months, and the move appears to be on top of plans for 350 jobs in downtown Cork announced less than a year ago.

Apple of course continues to expand its workforce at and around its corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California, with the company snapping up a number of leases in the area to support the growth as it works toward building a new campus for up to 13,000 workers. The company is also expanding at its other primary employment hubs, currently working with governmental authorities on a plan to add 3,600 at its administrative and support center in Austin, Texas, doubling the size of its workforce there.

The risk with this continued growth at Apple is that, like many large companies, they will start to lose focus and become bloated with internal bureaucracy.

Steve was consistent in his vision that Apple should continue to operate and behave like a small company even as it grew. I certainly hope that under Tim's leadership this will continue, but I fear that this mindset is already starting to erode as Apple's growth accelerates.

Cork is Apple's central logistics platform. Apple EMEIA's (Apple Europe Ltd) HQs are still in London however. I see Cook's focus on Operations help strengthen the operational node that Cork is, to better serve customers and Value Adding Distributors all across the area. Sounds like a smart and necessary move !

Adding jobs in low tax areas. Ireland is among the lowest tax regions in the developed world. It would be cool to see a picture of the planned building there.

Austin, TX of course is always a month away from separating from the union over excessive taxation and regulation, and when it does and takes over administration of Mexico, Apple will be well positioned.

The Carolinas and Oregon for the data center, yet more low tax right to work states.

It is actually surprising Apple is expanding in California, the highest tax state except NY and by far the most regulated state. NYC is worse, but that's not a state.

I think UT might be next. They accept gold and silver (the only tender allowed in the constitution) as legal tender to bypass the Obama administration currency crash which will be with us for years after he is gone. The Obama currency crash is by far the worst tax on poor and middle class and retired folks in our nation's history. It gets NO media at all.

Austin, TX of course is always a month away from separating from the union over excessive taxation and regulation, and when it does and takes over administration of Mexico, Apple will be well positioned.